Clinical Manifestations

Clinical Manifestations

Background

Cognitive issues affect about 40% of people with heart failure (HF). This study looks at how patients with HF view their cognitive abilities and how these views relate to actual cognitive performance.

Method

We used initial data from a randomized controlled trial involving 73 HF patients to test a cognitive intervention aimed at improving attention. Data were collected through phone interviews during the COVID-19 pandemic from July 2020 to May 2021. We measured perceived cognitive effectiveness using the Attentional Function Index (AFI), which has 13 questions about attention, working memory, and executive function. Scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating better performance. We assessed cognitive performance using the Oral Trail Making A and B tests, where longer response times indicate worse performance. We used Pearson’s correlation coefficients to find relationships between AFI scores and test results, with a significance level set at p < .05.

Results

Among the 73 HF patients, 56% were women, and the average age was 66 years. On average, patients rated their cognitive effectiveness as moderate (AFI = 68.4). Only 35.6% reported high cognitive effectiveness (AFI score ≥ 75). The average time for Oral Trail Making A was 9.4 seconds, and for B, it was 38.2 seconds. There were significant correlations between perceived cognitive effectiveness and actual attention (Oral Trail Making A, r = -0.38) and executive function (Oral Trail Making B, r = -0.27).

Conclusion

Most HF patients felt moderately effective in their cognitive tasks. The small to moderate correlations between self-reported and actual cognitive performance suggest that using both types of assessments can help identify individuals at risk for cognitive decline early.

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